Which traversal method is more memory efficient for large graphs?
Practice Questions
Q1
Which traversal method is more memory efficient for large graphs?
BFS
DFS
Both are equally efficient
Neither is efficient
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which traversal method is more memory efficient for large graphs?
Step 1: Understand what DFS (Depth-First Search) and BFS (Breadth-First Search) are. DFS explores as far down a branch as possible before backtracking, while BFS explores all neighbors at the present depth before moving on to nodes at the next depth level.
Step 2: Recognize that both methods are used to traverse or search through graphs.
Step 3: Identify how memory is used in each method. DFS uses a stack (which can be implemented with recursion) to keep track of the nodes to visit next. BFS uses a queue to store all the nodes at the current level.
Step 4: Note that in large graphs, BFS can require a lot of memory because it stores all nodes at the current level, which can be many. In contrast, DFS only needs to remember the nodes along the current path.
Step 5: Conclude that because DFS does not need to store all nodes at the current level, it can be more memory efficient than BFS for large graphs.
